Say you’re a Lakers fan or a Lakers front-office type … Is there any reason for Kobe to come back this season?

Steve Aschburner, NBA.com: The No. 1 reason I want Kobe Bryant back this season — whether I’m a Lakers’ employee, an NBA fan or a blog-stained wretch — is I’m sick and tired of the Father Time cliché. To heck with that old bastard’s undefeated record. If anyone is ornery and driven and talented enough to kick his white-bearded butt, it’s the Black Mamba. Bryant has a burning desire to play sooner, not later. He’s got some serious all-time positioning to boost (fourth in points and FGAs, third in FTs, etc.) and, at 35, a finite number of games remaining to do so. Then there’s that ring total, which won’t change for him this spring … but you can be the one to tell him that. Finally, in this revenue-sharing NBA, TV ratings matter, no team’s more so than the Lakers. Kobe’s return and ramp-up to lethalness is a mini-series rave waiting to happen.

Fran Blinebury, NBA.com: If you’re Kobe, the only reason to come back this season is because you’re Kobe. You’re 35 years old, time is running out quickly on your career and you don’t give up a year. Ever. Maybe you won’t win a championship this season, or even come close, but you can take another step toward reinforcing your reputation and cementing your legacy as the toughest guy in the game today. And you love that.

Jeff Caplan, NBA.com: It isn’t in Kobe’s DNA, but stay away, take the year off. This has all the makings of San Antonio Spurs circa 1996-97. You remember, The Admiral got hurt, the Spurs tanked and a few months later they drafted Tim Duncan and changed the course of NBA history. Or this could be another in a long line of Lakers maneuverings/good luck to land a franchise-anchoring player like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Mamba. Can you imagine Kobe tough-loving rookie Andrew Wiggins? L.A. is so desperate for that next superstar, but it isn’t happening in free agency. The draft, this draft, is the way to go. So Kobe, keep strengthening that Achilles, but no reason to put it into action until training camp 2014 when the Mamba turns Mentor.

Scott Howard-Cooper, NBA.com: Kobe’s answer is the easy one: Yes, absolutely, definitely, for sure. He’s not getting any younger and the chance to play with a lottery team is still the chance to keep playing. The Lakers front office also wants him back this season. They have offseason decisions to make, so it is valuable to see how the many free agents in waiting are able to play with him, worth considering moving forward. Management also has to get a read of where Kobe is physically as they talk about a new contract with him. The fans? Probably. While they see the value in ping-pong balls, there is also something to be said for the answer from Kobe himself. It’s a chance to see one of the greats before he is off the court for good.

John Schuhmann, NBA.com:If he’s healthy, he should play. If he’s not, he shouldn’t. Pretty simple. The Lakers aren’t going to make the playoffs either way, but I don’t think you’re going to keep Kobe off the court if he feels he can play. I’m sure Lakers fans would rather watch him gun for MJ’s spot on the all-time scoring list than go through a full 82 games of Nick Young and Wes Johnson. And since he’s getting paid more than $30 million, it would be nice if he earned some of it.

Sekou Smith, NBA.com: This is blasphemy! A question like this could get you punched in the mouth in certain parts of Los Angeles and Southern California. Lakers fans always want as much Kobe as they can get. He’s the heart and soul of the franchise. Of course, you want him to come back, even if the Lakers are completely out of the playoff picture when he does return. He’s the reason Lakers fans pay all of that money to attend games at Staples Center and the same reason fans around the globe identify with the team despite having never set foot in Hollywood. The front office needs to him to come back so they can shop him and the franchise as an ideal future destination for the free-agent class of the 2014. A recovered Kobe is a priceless visual aide. Kobe clad in one of his designed suits all season does nothing for the Lakers’ cause. Do you even want Kobe to come back this year … blasphemy!

Lang Whitaker, NBA.com’s All Ball blog: I’ve thought all along that the only reason for Kobe to rush back and attempt to play before he’s one-million percent healthy and confident would be to help the Lakers if they were a playoff team. Sure, we are still way early in the season, but it looks as though the Lakers don’t have the firepower to be a contender, and probably not a playoff team, either. If I’m a Lakers fan I tell Kobe to take a year off and get healthy, try and trade Gasol for a first round pick, and then next season have two blue chippers to learn from the league’s greatest competitor.

Davide Chinellato, NBA.com Italia: What a Lakers fan thinks: I want Kobe to come back as soon as possible. We can still turn this season around and be the usual Lakers. What the Lakers front office thinks: We should figure out a way to convince Kobe to sit out the entire season. The 2014 Draft is so talented, and we have a lot of money to invest in the free agency. We’ll be back as strong as ever next year and our team will have a bright future. What (I think) Kobe Bryant thinks: I’m out to prove everybody I’m the best ever. I’ll play tomorrow.

Stefanos Triantafyllos, NBA.com Greece: Kobe is the Lakers. And the Lakers are Kobe. Even if in a mediocre season, the return of the “Black Mamba” could spice things up and give the Lakers’ fans a reason to embrace the team onces again. Also, Kobe is now 35. He will not get any younger. He has some good games left in him. I am pretty sure he can beat the achilles injury, but nobody, N-O-B-O-D-Y, can defeat time.

Philipp Dornhegge, NBA.com Germany:Honestly, I’m not one for the tanking thing. If a player is healthy, he should play. And play to the best of his abilities and to win every game. I’m pretty sure Kobe thinks the same way, and the Lakers management won’t be able to do anything about it. And it’s not all that bad. I’m convinced the Lakers won’t make the Playoffs either way, and despite the fact that they might miss out on Wiggins, Randle and Parker they’ll still get a lottery pick, i.e. a good player. Also: They’re the Lakers, they can always get better through free agency. And for Kobe: He’s only 675 points behind MJ. Catching the GOAT would certainly soften the blow for an otherwise lost season.

109 Comments

LBJKIN6JAMES – had fun reading every comment you posted :D why even go or comment here if you’re doubting Kobe’s Return? why not just admit that you’re a Kobe Fan.because if you aren’t why are you commenting or posting your thoughts and opinion rather than posting in Lebron’s?

Why should the Lakers even pursue Melo? He’s closing in on his 30s and looking to get his last big payday, not really a good option in the long run.
Besides, Kobe and Melo playing together? That has all the ingredients for a repeat of last year.
I can see the Lakers getting better at the point sooner than the 3, Nash’s wheels are reaching their limit and it looks like this season might be his last, even if not you just can’t help but wonder how productive will he be come next season.
Let Kobe come back this season whenever he feels up to it and put his work in to get back into shape, if he comes back close to the same player phisically as he was last year he has at least 4 more dominant years ahead of him.
Even if he’s not as explosive as he was, Kobe still has one of the most polished post games in the league today. The man knows how to get his shot so productivity won’t be an issue.
If the Lakers manage to get lucky in the draft lottery and add another projected franchise type player alongside him then you’ll have something special down the line.

The only reason why Kobe should come back this season is to help his team into the playoffs. With a bunch of inconsistent teammates, the Lakers will most unlikely get into the postseason. The wins against the Clippers and Rockets were just lucky; they won’t continue on like this in the long run. Henry and Young are only good for selected games.

The most ideal thing to do is take the whole year off and come back hoping that the team is considerably rebuilt (hints the landing of Carmelo). But Kobe may just be bothered by that age thing, that he doesn’t have a lot of basketball left in him (despite still playing explosively before the injury). It really depends on how he heals, if he can return 100% or at least close to that. It’s injustice if he can’t be back to his great form anymore, let alone forced to retire, as he was injured for all the wrong reasons (tried to carry his team by himself last season).

For the player like Kobe – the physical body takes a real pounding. While the lungs and spirit are still strong, muscles just don’t respond as quickly. I think Kobe will have the most trouble attempting to play a supporting role – backing off his minutes and perhaps not being on the floor at crunch time. I wish him well – was never a great fan of Kobe – bottom line however, this man can play basketball, and is a solid competitor.

Laker mgmt made the decision to play Kobe at sometime this season when they chose to amnesty Metta World Peace’s $7 mill instead of Kobe’s $30 mill. This week the Lakers had their 1st non sell-out in over 320 home games. Kobe and his chase of MJ on the all-time scoring list is needed to put those butts back in the seats. However let’s be clear, his return will not make a real difference in the Lakers win-loss record. Lakers are currently 27th in points allowed (105.8) & 28th in points differentials (-6.5). The combination of those two stats means the Lakers are a very bad defensive team…and that’s not going to improve w/ Kobe’s return.

If Kobe feels that he is healthy enough to come back this season, then that is a good enough reason for him to return. He himself has said that if he is not able to perform up to his own standards, then he would walk away from the game. The only way to gauge his performance level is to actually play in NBA games. If, for some reason he is not able to get back to his elite level, then he could retire after this season. This would leave the Lakers with even more cap room to sign free agents and rebuild their roster to championship contention again; rather than having him sit out this entire year and come back next year unable to perform at his level and retiring after having signed a lucrative deal. There is no guarantee that the Lakers land a high enough pick to get Wiggins or Parker in this summer’s draft even if they miss the playoffs. They should try to focus on rebuilding via free agency/trades and try to find a better coach. Last I heard, George Karl is not sitting on the end of anyone’s bench right now, and he would be a huge upgrade over Mike D’antoni.

Lbjkin6james the issue that people have with what your saying is not that your facts are wrong, but that they are biased. As evidenced by your swipes at Kobe. Your correct that it is hard or damn near impossible to return from the injury, and reclaim greatness. But if anyone can come back, and have a couple of good seasons based on his RESUME NOT MY OPINION it is Kobe. I’m a REAL FAN I do not want to see Kobe, because I’m under some illusion that he is going to go for 81, but for the fact that he is ONE OF THE LAST OF A DYING BREED! He has proven that hard work, and dedication pays off time and time again. While he will never have the individual accolades that LeBron James has ie MVP trophies, I’m not convinced LeBron will achieve the same team success ie RINGS! And I know what your going to say he is 28 and has plenty of time, but he has a bad back as evidenced by his back spasms he began having at 22.(which are causing him problems currently) Just like father time Back problems is also undefeated ask Larry Bird, and Tracy McGrady. He also is going to have to deal with the fact that Wade, and Kobe are probably going to retire at the same time because of his Knees. Which will then kill the Robin to his Batman. LeBron is hands down a once in a lifetime talent, but he did take his talents to South Beach to team up with another Star in his prime in order to win FACT! Do I think he would have won in Cleveland had he been more patient yes, but we will never know, because his confidence in his own abilities took that opportunity away from us as fans to WITNESS as he would say. BTW if his procedure was illegal we would all know because he would have been suspended by now for doing so. Just because their afraid to sanction something in America it doesn’t mean its illegal or wrong.

1ST of all I agree with some things you said…
2ND of all – YES I AM A LEBRON FAN, DOES THAT MEAN I HATE KOBE …NO!

I agree with the fact that if ANY player in the league could come back from this injury then it would be Kobe. But I’m not discounting his comeback, I have some doubts about it .. meaning that if he does comeback it would be physically impossible to be the same player who left the court that night… If Kobe tore his ACL instead of rupturing his Achilles, then he could recover no problem and be back in time for Christmas day… but the severity of a 3rd degree ruptured Achilles is NOT A JOKE, plus Kobe’s age at the time of the injury have all the odd against him, if he did comeback he would be a shell of himself and he would do it just to prove to himself he could as well as to end his career the right way… but that leads to a different conversation altogether, would fans rather see Kobe comeback from this injury and slowly start to fall apart like NASH, or remember the Kobe who dominates the game? (similar to how MJ retired when he was on top of his game)

In terms of bringing LeBron into the conversation about Kobe’s Achilles I think that it is completely irrelevant since I haven’t mentioned LeBron once in any of my comments regarding Kobe’s rehab process.. I used to dislike Kobe, but after a while you learn to respect his game and admire his competitiveness ..even if his last game in the NBA was the game he got injured last season he would still go down as one of the greatest of all time. it would just be a sad way to end such an illustrious career…

We have to happy when Kobe comes back,at least to help to get that play-off spot if he’s back in shape on time to do it!!!
But with Jim B. as boss & D’Antoni as captain of the ship,theyr already sinking with too much unexperienced mediocre new players,we are going to the bottom with it!Again a lost season for the Lakers, i d’ont trust Jim on the rebuilding stage he d’ont prove to choose the right decisions to rebuild! It’s clear from a few seasons he’s not capable do make a mediocre team to a championship contender again!This is the truth the way is i’m seeying it,it’s better to let Jackson control that ship than Jim B. ever manage it!

kobe is overrated. he’s a great scorer but lebron is a better all around player. kobe always forces shots. he needs to stop hogging the ball. lol the lakers almost didn’t make the playoffs last year. kobe had gasol, nash, howard in his team (4 stars). then kobe flops his injury to make it look like it wasnt his fault lol.

Kobe will be back, but only to have a crack at moving up the scoring list. As for the rings argument, MJ could have had more than 6 and Russell played a long, long time ago. Kobe has 2 final mvps (what counts in the GOAT argument), same as LeBron. LeBron/Tmac/Iverson in their primes all could have got 3 rings with Shaq so as far as this argument goes they don’t count. LeBron has 3 more MVP awards than Kobe so……….

Lakers aren’t done. They’re going through a rebuilding stage like any team, Miami were as well before the big 3 formed. Lakers need to find a young superstar they can rebuild around, Kobe isn’t that guy. But… Kobe is one of the greatest players of all time and yes he’s had a serious career threatening injury but he’s not done, people recover from those and come back… not as good as they were but still good enough for the sport and Kobe will always be good enough for the NBA. To still be at this form over the last couple of years and to still be averaging so many points at his age is amazing and its hard to compare him to lebron when one is in his athletic peak and the other’s career is coming to an end. With the laker’s success in the NBA, they will never be a bad team, they will always come out the other end winning championships. So yeah Kobe’s injury is bad and will have an affect on his game, he wont be as quick compared to young guys like lebron, durant, carmelo, chris paul and rose but he’s still gonna be a great player to the lakers and will end up leading them to some good wins when he comes back. Anyone who says he should retire is wrong simply because they’re a heat fan and love lebron, they hate kobe or they know nothing about basketball and are just being a heat bandwagoner.

To the Lebron Lover…I don’t believe the people who are pro Kobe on this subject feels that way because of there Love for him… lol.. It comes from going off the information we have and forming our own opinion… Regardless if Kobe had to fly to Mars at the of 35 to get his knees worked, when he made it back from there neither you nor any player in the league could guard him.. He had a great year last year… Your whole theory of Father Time is based off other individuals.. We’re not talking about the past, and were not talking about other players.. This is the present… And in the present time the individual by the name of Kobe Bryant who is rehabbing has no fear of failing, and no quit in him, Knowing that why would you count him out? Is Kobe the best player in the league still no.. But to say he is done because of how others recovered from this injury is silly… Kobe would not come back if he didn’t feel he could compete at a high level..

Lakers are done, even mr ballhog said so himself he will never back down from his 30+ million a year salary, goodluck rebuilding wherein kobe gets majority of the salary and still the biggest load of the shots per game for that team. he will still average 30-40 shots a game while the next superstar gets to put up less than 8 shots a game.

I know bill Russell has 12 rings
I admire and respect Mr. bill Russell
the same goes for Robert hurry
who has 7 rings 1 more than Jordan
but Jordan have 6 Nba finals Mvps
How many Nba finals Russell or hurry have?
Jordan have 6 rings with 6 finals mvps and a perfect finals record
never lost

i think only michael jordan was able to defeat father time. performance wise, he still brought it even when he’s pushing 40. sure his athleticism wasn’t nowhere near when he was at his prime but still defenses focuses on him.

Did you see Lebron choked in game 6 against spurs in the finals? That’s Lebron, he is not clutch like kobe.
Superstars become superstars when it’s the clutch moment and kobe did that a number of times.
So Don’t even compare Kobe with LEbron until he gets five rings :)

Man everyone needs to just chill relax an enjoy these to Greats what they have done in the Nba is just do what most people dream of an they are just excellent Ball Players Respect them man its very very hard to get where they are with all the media twisting things blowing stuff out of Proportion an play in front the world an soon as one thing goes wrong it over shaddows everything they have done just watch an enjoy

Honestly if kobe was putting up numbers w broken thumb and knee and what not. why would u think yhat he cant do it w a rehabbed acillies. He plays w absolute confidence that nothing can get in his way. He should come bak this yr and show the whole world why he can do things that no one else can mimic.

If he plans to play past this season (which I’m sure he does) he should just stay out for the season, rehab and rest. He’s not getting another title with this current squad (all though there are a piece or two they should hang on to).

MJ won 6 rings in two spurts. In between his two threepeats he took 1.5 seasons off which really did him a ton of good. The second threepeat may not have been possible without the time he took off to reflect on life and recharge his batteries. When he came back he was refreshed and rejuvenated. Kobe could use a sabbatical like that even more. He has played 17 straight seasons, and he started at such a young age. The seasons are even more grueling and physical than back when MJ played. Kobe can use the same time off to both heal physically and recharge emotionally.

As I mentioned in another blog. If the Knicks season keeps going south and Anthony is saying he wants to test free agency, which really means he is sick of loosing with the Knicks. Don’t be surprised he gets traded for Gasol. Kobe will be back this year but don’t be surprised if he doesn’t until sometime next year cause is was a severe injury. This would allow him to get some game time maybe 20- 30 games so he doesn’t come back as bad as Rose. The problem with the Lakers this year is they have a better bench than last year and probably have a few players worth keeping going forward. Hill is probably the best prospect on the team.

As far a greatness goes.. Kobe is it. He definitely filled the void that Michael left. Now Lebron is doing the same. Kobe should retire mainly because the Lakers are winning without him. If he steps back on to the court, one or two of those talented young guys will most like want and need to be traded… I don’t want to see young talent pushed out because of legacy.. look at paul pierce and kevin garnett… those guys are definitely not starters and yet they start

Lakers fans, would you prefer: A) Kobe coming back this year, breaking MJ’S record and seeing the team push for a .500 record, then get a low lottery pick, or, B) Kobe coming back next year, breaking MJ’s record (he only needs to average 8.5 PPG over a full season to do so), and most likely getting a franchise player to help you compete for championships for the next 10-15 years?

Seriously I can’t believe fans want Kobe to come back. Fans should want what’s best for their teams in the long-run, and trading a would-be first round playoff exit (at best) for a future superstar like Wiggins or Parker is a great deal for the Lakers. Lakers fans don’t know how lucky their team is that this is happening to them now; as a Warriors fan I had to endure decades of failed seasons AND terrible draft picks.

p.s. all the so called record Kobe needs to chase can be attained even if he just plays next season.

Does the NBA hire hobos off the street for blogs like wtf is wrong with these bloggers like Smith said it’s blasphemy to question the black mamba i know you peanut brains still believe LeBron is better than Kobe(God strike em with lightning) but don’t forget who he is

Jordan would actually be 1A) according to your little measuring scale…

And every person who knows anything about basketball knows that if judging a players career based on the amount of rings then Robert Horry would be better than Tim Duncan..
Silly kid, comment boards are for adults. Go to bed!

I don’t think any real basketball fan can hate on Kobe….or Lebron. If you’re a true fan of basketball hating either these guys (both will go down as two of the greatest to play the sport) is ridiculous. I’m a Lebron die hard, loved him St. Vincent and St. Mary but when Kobe went down last year I was devestated. Anytime one of the greats goes down it hurts the whole NBA. So all y’all hating either Lebron or Kobe STOP. Without them basketball wouldn’t be the same, enjoy what they do while they still lace up them sneakers.

THE MEDIA IS SO DESPERATE AND HUNGRY FOR KOBE TO LEAVE THE GAME THAT ITS PATHETIC. ITS A DISGRACE THAT THEY SPEND MORE TIME MANUFACTURING AND DEFENDING A FALSE GREATNESS IN LEBRON, BUT THE CANT ACCEPT THE REALITY OF THE CONTINUAL LEGACY OF KOBE. SMH. SADDEST THING I EVER SEEN IN SPORTS. FANS ARE NOT STUPID OR EASILY MANIPULATED. WE ALL KNOW KOBE IS THE GREATEST EVER. THEN MICHAEL, THEN WILT. THE MEDIA CAN SAY WAT THEY WANT BUT GENERATION AFTER GENERATION WILL LOOK AT THE HIGHLIGHTS, THE HISTORY OF EVENTS AND THE RINGS AS THEIR HISTORY. KOBE MICHAEL WILT. THATS IT WEN IT COMES TO THE BEST EVER. EVERYBODY ELSE WAS JUST A PART OF THE HISTORY. GREAT STORIES, GREAT INFLUENCE, GREAT HYPE THATS MAGIC, BIRD, RUSSEL, KAREEM AND ALL THE OTHERS. KOBE MICHAEL AND WILT DONT NEED STORYLINES, HYPE, OR TO EVEN MAKE AN IMPACT EVEN THO THEY DID, ITS NOT WAT DEFINED THEIR CAREER. THEIR CAREER WAS DEFINED ON BEING THE BEST. YES “MEDIA” EVEN AGAINST YOUR WILL.

What u saying fella. Rudy gay is not up for trade. But if Kobe doesn’t return I will go to front offices and bomb them for not forcing Kobe to come back and play. Kobe we need you.
#blackmamba#thereturn

The Answer Is Very Simple, Let The Lakers TANK, Kobe Should Come When 10-15 Games Are Left. Lakers get WIGGINS
and have enough money to sign free agents. I say trade Pau for Omer Asik. Get Rondo and Rudy Gay along with Kover.

note: Their current teams are trying to get rid of Omer, Rudy Gay, Rondo right now

Rockets would have to give lakers other pieces to, and they have a bunch of players with rookie contract years they would have to give away in return, I doubt the lakers want that, And I dont think they would give the lakers Asik and Lin Just because the chanses of Gasol resigning with rockets are very small, Dont think Pau ever wanna play with Howard again. SO that trade is completely fantasy, and the lakers will never “tank” they rather stay as a 8th seed team than tank because of their precious tv ratings and ticket sales.

@LBJKIN6JAMES Shouldn’t you be spooning with Lebron somewhere? Oh that’s right, he doesn’t even know you exist. Get a life, and stop insulting people that are just posting their opinions. They have a right to be Kobe fans, don’t call them delusional for liking one of the best to ever play. Good luck with the Pacers this year, don’t be too sad when you get beat while sitting alone at home. Like you said, you have to know when it’s time to let go.

LOL. that spooning comment was funny. It’s amazing how so many people praise Lebron who happens to be the FIRST great nba player in his prime to jump aboard another great players team just so he could get a ring. There are many things Kobe has done that Lebron isn’t even close to. So you Lebron lovers just stop hating and you really dont have a right to say anything until he gets some more rings

Aren’t you getting a bit off topic Jason ? What does the Pacers have to do with Kobe’s rehabbing process ?
I know your upset about Kobe’s career possibly coming to an end, but lets try to focus..
Just because I’m a LeBron fan it doesn’t mean I don’t have an opinion on other news in the NBA, or that I automatically hate Kobe. If you actually do your research on how serious a ruptured Achilles is then you will actually know what Kobe is going through, and at his age his chances of ever returning to the court would be nothing short of a miracle, most players who have made a full recovery have been much younger than Kobe.
Also, instead of talking about the Pacers and me sitting alone at home you would know that Just a few weeks prior he severely sprained his ankle. He’s been dealing with a bone spur in his other foot. Then, in the same game that the Achilles ruptured he also hyper-extended his knee, and went down with another unidentified injury.

It is Kobe. People hate on him because he does what they can’t do. If you’re not being hated on you’re doing something wrong. He’ll come back. Don’t hate him for being who he is, but for who you ain’t.

People are allowed to have opinions about the possibility of Kobe’s return … I haven’t doubted Kobe’s heart, work ethic, or durability. But facts are facts .. this is not a sprained ankle were talking about … this injury is known as the “career ender”. And at Kobe’s age, along with the knee injuries and bone spurs in his foot that he is already dealing with by going to Germany, then this it is a realistic possibility that the “mamba” will never play again, or if he does he’ll be half the player he used to be. Im sorry you don’t like to hear the truth, but you have to learn to accept it for what it is …a sad way to end his career

LBJKIN6JAMES, you repeat yourself over and over again. Everyone knows Kobe has a serious injury. You’re not a rocket scientist. I’m not even a Kobe fan but you are annoying. Kobe will definitely play again. He probably won’t be as good but will still be excellent.

Are u serious? Still going on 18 years and there are people in the basketball world doubting Kobe Bryant? One of the toughest athletes mentally and physically all time.. In any sport…! Arguably the hardest working Basketball player to ever play the game…. There’s only one player who anyone can compare to Kobe’s work ethic… And we all know who that is… What should the Lakers do with Kobe? You let him do what he wants… The lakers owe him that, the NBA owes him that, and the fans do as well… For the past 17 years Kobe Bryant has inspired, influenced, and uplifted a whole generation of young basketball players across the world…. Not only that, he has helped significantly to bring five NBA championships to the lakers…. Still at the age of 35 I would take him over 93 percent of the players in this league… Coming off an injury! We seem to forget this is the man who has played at a high level with fingers hanging off his hand, one leg, busted ankles, fighting for his freedom in court and playing the same day, hitting two free throws seconds after tearing his achillies, 81 POINTS IN ONE GAME. Need I say more? Let’s stop doubting Kobe and appreciate the time we have to watch one of the greatest Basketball Players to lace up there sneakers… I was fortunate to be able to watch Kobe come in, and will watch him depart… Now I’ve been fortunate to watch a new generation of stars to come in… Lebron, durant, wade, and Paul…. And honestly….. those young men have a journey to go before they reach were The Mamba has been… Jonathan Price

I couldn’t of said better myself, we seem to forget that Jordan retired and came back to the league older than what Kobe is now and I believe Kobe is in just as good if not better physical and mental condition as MJ.

I would say Kobe and MJ’s mental condition are equal at this point…but unfortunately Kobe’s physical condition cannot be at that level due to his injury…but once he returns successfully his mental level should be unmatched by anyone…

I hope these young men making the journey, will not become rapist. those of us who love basketball are fans of certain players but some of the Kobe fan are obsessed to the point of it being an illness. He would only have 2 rings if not for Shaq. Kobe is gifted with physical abilities but as a person, nothing to admire. Kobe lovers, add more interests in your life and toss the shrine you have in the trash. Players like Duncan, James, Paul, etc are admired on and off the court.

it’s time to let go? lmao… Kobe was leading the league in scoring almost all of last year and shooting over 50%. If anything Wade should let go. lol, I swear these Miami Heat bandwagon fans started watching basketball in 2010 and know next to nothing about basketball.

this is not a sprained ankle that Kobe is recovering from.. this is a serious and severe injury known to all athletes to end careers. At Kobe’s age of 35 years old it makes his recovery 100 times harder, even when or “if” he makes a comeback you honestly think he’s going to be the same Kobe who left the court that night? LOL he’s going to be shell of himself, a role player at best!
Don’t let your love for Kobe blind you from the facts … Yes Kobe is probably the toughest player in the league, Yes he is a true warrior and a fierce competitor, but father time is UNDEFEATED! Kobe already has bad kness that he has to go to Germany for to get “not so legal injections” … Call me a heat bandwagoner but its not going to change the facts. Go do some research on torn Achilles injuries and get back to me ;)

Anthony is shaking his head at heat fans that aren't knowledgable about basketballsays:

Do your homework, Dominique Wilkins not only recovered from this injury he had allstar seasons after the same injury. So for you to say that it ends careers is not accurate. Besides Kobe was having a way better season than Wade all of last year, and Wade has knee issues…….. do your research, ya’ll heat fans was calling for Wade’s head the whole playoffs calling him old, but after ya’ll won the championship ya’ll forgot that.

The majority of athletes who make a comeback after a major Achilles injury are never the same. Athletes usually become a shell of their old self since the Achilles tendon is such an integral part of an athlete’s explosion, speed, and agility. Most athletes who make it back are always a step or two behind what they used to be. But at this point in his career, this could just be a sign that he should finally step away from the game. It may be the best option for him to hang his jersey and put an end to his career.

Truthfully, its a sad way to end a career as amazing as Kobe’s, but facts are facts..Kobe is not invincible, he is human, and father time is undefeated. Watch and see for yourself. Im done responding to you hard-headed stubborn Kobe fanboys.

Another kids that doesnt recognize how great kobe is. Just watch him as much as you can. he is the last great player you will ever see. After kobe….there wont be anything as close as MJ and Kobe…..everyone gonna be like….”im lebron….I take my talent to the south biotch”

yall all need to get your facts straight whoever lebron fans because if kobe comeback off thisinjury and still dropping 27.3 points a night hes the best player in the world and to u kobe haters lebron is good but not better than kobhe bryant